Normally, we depend on natural food sources to obtain the core nutrients of Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals and Fats. As inherent omnivores, human beings consume a plant and animal- based diet. A combination of these results in the ideal balanced diet. So it begs the question, when did we start depending so much on supplements?

The issue of supplements is a tricky one. It is heavily regulated area and involves serious scrutiny from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). Any manufacturer who wants to get into this space has to go through layers of FDA approvals before the product can be launched in the market.

Okay, supplements are good once in a while. But in America, we look to indulge, don’t we? Be it food, alcohol, weed or pills, we binge. So it is not really surprising that supplement intake per intake in the Us is the highest in the world, with more than half of the population consuming one or multiple pills on a daily basis.

And you know the worst part? There are zero regulations on supplement sale once the product has been granted an FDA approval. You can buy as many as you want without prescriptions. Let us face it, we are not health experts. Neither do we fully consider the ramifications and side-effects of even the simplest of pills like vitamin pills. Why can’t we be normal for once and simply consume the most natural of vitamin sources, vegetables?

Yes, there is a rising trend of organic food and healthy eating in the United States, but they seem to be restricted mostly to the more cosmopolitan states such as New York, California and Washington. It is not nationwide. Today, we have the issue of CBD pills, which aren’t even totally allowed and yet are sold in the market. CBD isn’t allowed by the FDA as a dietary supplement, and yet appears as an ingredient in many items such as food, oils and capsules.

We need to put a stop to this incessant supplement consumption. A combination of a diet based on vegetables, fruits and meat, along with the occasional supplement, should be the objective.